Originally posted June 27, 2007: I tend to get into a rut when it comes to side dishes, so I thought I’d bring this one back to life again! I actually remade it several months ago, and have seriously been craving it since. If you think green beans are boring, you need to make this Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing. Green beans have really never tasted so good!! And don’t even think of skipping the cashews – I’m going to guess that soy-glazed cashews will be the next big thing!

The original post from 2007 follows:

There are recipes that you see and think “I want to make that” and add them to your endless stack of “to try” recipes, and there are recipes that you see and think “I have to make that” and stop at the store that day for the ingredients. This is one of the latter. I originally saw this on Lis’ blog. She got the recipe from Alanna, and I have a feeling you are going to be seeing this recipe on many other blogs! I did what Lis did and substituted cashews for the almonds, but I think it would be fabulous either way.

I seriously could have eaten just this salad for dinner – forget the entree!! I LOVED the nuts – I have sugared nuts before, but never soy sauced them before. (I don’t think that is really a word!!) But these cashews (or almonds, if you use almonds) would be good in so many things – especially any type of Asian salad. This is staying in my regular rotation – in fact, I may make it again this week because I still have green beans left!!

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing

Description

An Asian take on green beans, this Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing is full of Asian flavors and great texture from the Soy-Glazed Cashews.

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed

½ cup cashews

1 tablespoon soy sauce

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

⅔ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

¼ cup chopped green onions

Instructions

Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and bring the water back to a boil. Cook the beans until cooked but still bright green, 3-5 minutes. Drain and add to the water bath to stop the cooking. Drain the beans well. Dab with paper towels to dry slightly.

Toast the cashews in a small skillet. Once toasted, turn the heat up to medium-high and add the soy sauce. Toss to coat and cook until the liquid has evaporated – this should happen fairly quickly, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and sugar. Add the green beans to the dressing and stir to coat. Serve topped with the cilantro, green onions and soy glazed cashews.